Support First Things by turning your adblocker off or by making a  donation. Thanks!

richardIII


You thought there couldn’t be a law and religion angle to today’s news—-fascinating for us history nerds—-that archaeologists have discovered the mortal remains of Richard III  beneath a parking lot in Leicester ? Think again. Plans are underway to re-inter the bones in the city’s Anglican Cathedral. Not so fast, say some: the hunchback king wasn’t a Protestant, but a Catholic, and he requires a Catholic burial. In fact, as Shakespeare fans know, Richard died at Bosworth Field (“A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!”), defending his throne from Henry Tudor. Henry went on to reign as Henry VII;  his son, Henry VIII, broke with Rome. As  The Tablet’s  blog  argued this morning , “Had Richard prevailed at the Battle of Bosworth Field, there would have been no Henry VII, therefore no Henry VIII and no Reformation. England today might still be a Catholic country.” Think of it: no Reformation, no Established Church, no Archbishop Laud, no Puritans, no Great Migration — no Massachusetts! — and no Establishment Clause. Surely there’s a law review article in there somewhere.

Leicester Cathedral seems to know it’s facing a sensitive situation. A Catholic priest is keeping watch over Richard’s remains (as is an Anglican, I believe), and the cathedral is  planning a “multifaith” burial ceremony . Personally, I’m not sure why English Catholics are so keen to claim Richard, anyway. They must be forgetting the  nephews in the Tower .

Mark Movsesian is Director of the Center for Law and Religion at St. John’s University.


Comments are visible to subscribers only. Log in or subscribe to join the conversation.

Tags

Loading...

Filter First Thoughts Posts

Related Articles